CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — A Douglas County judge is under fire for granting sentences that did not include jail time in two separate cases within a week, including one involving a convicted stalker and assailant.
District Attorney for the 23rd Judicial District George Brauchler told Denver7 that he's disappointed by the ruling. Although he did not specifically name the judge, his comments were soon associated with a particular case.
“I don’t think judges exist in this jurisdiction to do what the DA says. That doesn’t make sense. I don’t think that [ruling] protects defendants appropriately either,” Brauchler said. “My respect for the bench doesn’t mean that I like all of their decisions, and in this particular case, I think this one is too risky for the public, and I don’t think it honors what took place with the victim.”
Following Brauchler's remarks, Denver7 confirmed through court records that he was referring to Judge Victoria Klingensmith—her most recent decision involved 31-year-old Taylor Burrows, who was sentenced to probation.
Burrows was found guilty in court of stalking and assault of his ex-fiance, Aubrey Cadwell.
“There's no way that we are looking at this man with this type of history, this type of danger, and saying that he's okay to walk among us,” Cadwell said.
Brauchler said probation officers have classified Burrows as a “maximum risk to re-offend” and said both Jefferson and Arapahoe Counties have denied him from their community corrections, which are designed as an alternative to incarceration.
Despite this assessment, Burrows was not given a prison sentence, leaving Cadwell in fear.
“There’s so much to this, and it is so disturbing, and he gets to walk among us,” she said. “How? How are we possibly going to let him get away with this? What is the turning point? To let him re-offend? Is that what we’re waiting for?”
This outcome worries Brauchler, especially regarding the message it might send to survivors like Cadwell.
“There are a lot more victims out there who do not come forward. One of the reasons they don't come forward is that they think the system can't protect them. This case reinforces that belief,” Brauchler said.”
Denver7 reached out to Klingensmith to ask why she believed probation was the best option and whether she considers the community safe. At the time of this publication, we have not received a response.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that two defendants in separate cases were sentenced to probation. In fact, one received probation and the other was sentenced to community corrections. Both sentences did not include jail time.
